Actually, if you’re in the latter group, maybe think
again. You know when you can sing, a bit, fairly well, then you hear someone
(like the lasses in Lady Maisery) who can really sing, and you think, mmm,
maybe I should shut up? Well, Mitchell could be the person who makes you put
your pen down forever.

But wait – OR, he could be the genius rule breaker that
inspires you to believe in yourself and your own voice so much that you
continue to dare.

I am in awe. Truly. And that’s not an easy thing to get
from me. I am astounded at the man’s mind – the expanse of his imagination, and
philosophy and intuition and profound understanding of humanity, and beyond. I
imagine the wall chart he drew while planning this book – which has to be in
concentric circles, while he flicks arrows across timelines for the links and
delicious clues. (Well that’s how I would do it).

I don’t want to do spoilers –but the Sonmi-451 chapter is
a scary gem of foresight into where we might all go. What makes it work is the wonderfully
economic language born of text- speak and monopolies where cars are now only
referred to as fords, and everyone has a handsony, and the chip from your bank
card is now in your fingertip.

Okay, so I am deeply jealous of someone who can so
apparently easily write the completely engaging and time-specific dialogue and
language of the 1800s, the 1970s and 2025 or something and still make me reach
for my dictionary. And the nerve to cut a story off – mid sentence – really!

But the real beauty of this work is that his people are
real. Their dilemmas are real and I laughed with them, and cried for them. I
had to stop and re-read so many passages out of sheer love. I finished it last
night. I re-read the ending this morning. Where did he get the inspiration for
such a perfect last line?

If that all sounds too much, visit Ghostwritten first.
Beautiful work, but maybe less of a mind-f**, said with respect, that will draw
you in to his expansive world.

I haven’t been able to write a thing while I was reading
it – but now I’m done, I’m bursting. That makes Mitchell a friend.